Evaluating risk factors for violence at the inpatient unit level: combining young adult patients and those with mental retardation

The current study demonstrates the use of patient case mix to evaluate the probability of aggression occurring on an inpatient psychiatric unit. The impact of combining young adult psychiatric patients with patients classified with mental retardation on the overall negative events and injuries on an inpatient psychiatric unit was evaluated. Results suggest when the combined number of young adults and patients classified with mental retardation exceeds 10 the unit is at high risk for aggressive behavior occurring. Recommendations for evaluating violence at a unit level using case mix are provided.